he Iraqi government decreed on Thursday a ban on the import of frozen fish in order to support domestic products.

"The Iraqi Agriculture Ministry banned the importation of frozen fish from all over the border-crossings in order to support domestic products,” Hamid Naif, spokesperson of the ministry, announced.

According to his statement, all the border crossings and relevant parties have been informed of the decision.

It is not clear whether or not the decree includes the Kurdistan Region.

Dr. Khalis Ahmed, an official from the KRG Agriculture Ministry, told Rudaw that due to Newroz holidays, they have not received any official letter from Baghdad.

Officials from the Trade and Industry Ministry, and border customs have also not received any instructions on the matter due to the Newroz break, they told Rudaw.

Ahmed said his ministry has asked the KRG’s Council of Ministers to clarify whether or not the Kurdistan Region is bound to adhere to decrees issued by Baghdad concerning imports. They are waiting for a response.

Baghdad has issued bans on imports of some products from the Kurdistan Region to the rest of Iraq. It has not yet lifted a ban of the sale of chickens from the Kurdistan Region to the center and south of Iraq following reports of bird flu in Duhok province last year.

The KRG, however, has dismissed the claims, saying no bird flu cases were discovered in the Region.